'Lessons from ‘The Other America' Turning a Public Health Lens on Fighting Racism and Poverty

Abstract

Commemorating the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination, this essay calls health providers to tackle both racial and economic disparities in population health as Dr. King did in his famous Stanford University speech titled “The Other America.” It identifies racism as a fundamental cause of health disparities and reviews the supporting evidence. It also reviews evidence that poverty is a fundamental cause – though related, the two must not be confused and policy-makers must address each separately.

Keywords: Health equity, race, poverty, equity, social determinants, racism